Tips on Managing Your Growing Restoration & Cleaning Business

This past week I had a client who sought my opinion about performing mitigation work for free. Refraining myself from blurting out the question, “Why in the world would you want to do that?” I asked him to elaborate on the situation.  He explained that he had seen a news story about a woman whose home was flooded during the rains associated with hurricane Irene.  

She had no insurance coverage and no money.  His motive was compassion and a desire to help someone in need.  Since he had benefited greatly from a weather event that devastated others he felt obligated to pay that benefit forward. I approved of his willingness, but advised him to proceed with caution.

As a disaster restoration contractor the unfortunate side of our work is that we are surrounded by those who are victims of  circumstance.  We profit from others’ misfortunes.  That fact needs to be kept into perspective at all times and requires a high level of moral character on behalf of the contractor.  Personally, I have had plenty of opportunities to provide “freebies” to those in need throughout my years in the industry.  To prevent the companies I managed from turning into volunteer organizations I had to resist the urge more often than I care to admit, but those were hard choices to make.

There are many benefits to performing charity work.  Free advertising (news media), tax deductions, and self fulfillment are just a few.  The true philanthropist, in my opinion, ignores these motives and sacrifices his/her personal benefit to meet the needs of others who cannot help themselves. Those rare individuals should be commended.


Tim Hull